Commission allows homeowner to install private 1.5‑inch water line; asks staff to write policy for future requests

The Lake Placid Utility Commission approved a motion permitting a homeowner to install a private 1.5‑inch water service to his property at his own expense and directed staff to draft a policy to govern similar future requests.

Homeowner William Clone told the commission he and a neighbor had been seeking municipal water for about 18 months and had offered to pay roughly $39,000 for an inch‑and‑a‑half service from the town main on Lake June Road. Brandon Copper (engineer/contractor), representing the work team, said the larger options — a 3‑ or 6‑inch line with hydrants — were substantially more expensive (estimates discussed ranged from about $90,000 to more than $100,000 for upsized mains and hydrants).

Utility staff explained tradeoffs: an individual 1.5‑inch line would provide water to those two houses quickly but could create pressure and service problems if multiple neighbors later tied into the small private line. Staff said the town’s main on Lake June Road is a 12‑inch line and that a properly sized extension for long‑term service and fire protection would generally require a 3‑ to 6‑inch main with hydrants and different permitting and cost implications.

Commissioners debated whether the utility fund should contribute. Staff said the town’s utility is an enterprise fund separate from general town tax revenues; the utility has capital reserves that could be used but numerous higher‑priority projects are already on the list. Commissioners discussed a split‑cost approach; one scenario mentioned in the discussion was the town contributing roughly $60,000 toward an upsized main with the homeowner providing the remainder.

A motion to allow the homeowner to install the 1.5‑inch line failed for lack of a second. A subsequent motion to allow the homeowner to proceed at his own expense and to direct staff to develop a formal policy for individual home hookups was made, seconded by Jack Conley, and carried on a recorded poll: John Draper — Aye; Matt Elliott — Aye; Pam Brewer — No; Jack Conley — Aye. The motion includes direction that staff draft a transparent policy covering developer vs. individual homeowner responsibilities, cost‑recoupment mechanisms and interoperability with future capital projects.

Staff also noted timing differences: installing a private 1.5‑inch line could be completed in roughly three months, while designing and permitting a larger town‑owned main (including DEP permitting) could add four to six months. Staff said the town will return with a recommended policy and cost‑allocation options for the commission’s review.